Experience
by Jaiaelle
Summary: College is a whole new experience for all of them.  Ensemble, with focus on Puck, Rachel, Quinn and Artie.  Also featuring Brittany, Santana, Matt, Mike and Finn.  Romantic pairings: P/R, Q/A and others.
1. Introducing the Principal Characters

_Author's Note: I name myself crazy for starting this. However, I had to. I blame Carli. This may not get frequent updates so I apologize in advance. But I felt like writing a college!fic with some of my favorite Glee characters and ships! Please read and review. Thanks. :)_

_**Chapter One: Introducing the Principal Characters**_

It was her first day of college and Rachel Berry was excited, despite the fact that things hadn't gone exactly how she had planned them. She should've been walking the hallowed halls of Julliard instead of unpacking her things in an Ohio State University dorm room. But circumstances being what they were, she found herself in the last place she would have ever expected. Grunting, she pulled out the album her fathers had made for her as a graduation present, running her hand over the glossy photo of herself as a child that decorated the front cover. A small smile touched her lips and she was prepared to open the heavy book of photographs, when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Where do you want me to put these?"

Lifting the album, she stood and turned, finding herself facing not one but three with whom she had graduated high school. The owner of the voice, Noah Puckerman, rose both eyebrows upon seeing her, then dropped the suitcases he was carrying onto the bed. Behind him trailed two people Rachel had never gotten very close to, even though both had been in glee club for three years.

"Rachel?" "Rachel!" They spoke at once but their reactions were very different. Santana Lopez kept her usual calm demeanor, striding into the room, the question that had been in Puck's eyes mirrored in her own. Brittany S. Pierce, on the other hand, came flying at Rachel, enveloping the smaller girl in a giant hug. "We're roommates!" Brittany yelled, clapping her hands once she had released Rachel from the hug.

"That is…" Rachel hesitated, searching for the right word for several minutes before shrugging. "I'm sure being roommates with you will be a very interesting experience."

Smirking, Santana looped her arm through the tall blondes, dragging her out. "We're out now. Bye Puckerman, Rachel."

Puck watched them go and Rachel noticed the way he noticed them, frowning when his eyes lowered from the back of their heads...downward.

"Ahem."

Twisting his head, Puck looked her in the eyes, almost expressionless. "What, Berry?"

Placing her album on the bed, she knelt down, continuing to unpack. "Nothing at all, Noah."

It was quiet for several minutes and she believed he had left when his voice, a low rumble, sounded out. "What are you doing here, Rachel? Thought you'd end up at that fancy singing school."

As if he cared. "If you must know, my Daddy lost his job sometime last year and while we haven't struggled with the essentials, sending me to an out of state school was not possible."

He uttered a small grunt in reply.

Figuring that was the end of their discourse, Rachel began putting things into drawers, unaware that he stood their for several minutes before trudging out, one final glance directed her way.

* * *

Having his own room was a nice amenity that Artie Abrams had looked forward to all summer. Then the lady, a harsh sort of frightening woman, in charge of the rooming situations in his hall had informed him that he would be sharing a room with someone. Someone he had gone to school with at McKinley. Like that would make him happy with the prospect of not rooming alone. His first thought was that it would be Finn and he was immediately annoyed. The inconsistency in Finn's friendship toward Artie had been downright frustrating. One minute, the guy would be Artie's best friend but the next acting like he didn't even know him. Plus, Finn was an idiot. Artie would rather not have an idiot as his roommate. Which left myriads of other guys from McKinley, including Puck and Mike. Both were better than Finn, by a lot, but he wasn't sure he would actually choose to room with either. Not that he had a choice.

When his as of yet unknown roommate had still not shown up, Artie decided to get some fresh air, checking his phone to see a text that informed him that his parents had just settled into their hotel room and would be by later to pick him up for dinner. Sighing, Artie wished that his parents wouldn't be so protective, in particular his mom. He understood she worried but it could be somewhat confining. Especially when most parents had left the previous day but his were staying the entire first week...of classes.

After several minutes of wheeling along, he came to a stop, his eyes fixed on the figure of Quinn Fabray, standing in the middle of the sidewalk and gazing at what Artie assumed must be her dorm building. He debated internally on whether or not he should say hi to her. The two hadn't been very close in high school. In fact, Artie couldn't think of a single instance in which they had an actual conversation or even exchanged the most basic of pleasantries. However, there had been something between them that he could never explain, manifested in a look or a slight touch of the hand during a routine. Rolling beside her, he stared at the building with consternation, muttering a, "Hi," to her.

Without looking at him, she replied, "Hi, Artie. My roommate's weird."

Nodding, Artie didn't respond and didn't move. He stayed there until his mom called then invited Quinn to dinner with his parents. She declined, politely, then walked into her dorm building.

Artie tilted his head, eyes absent mindedly following her as she made her trek then disappeared.

Of course, he was late meeting the parents…

Oh well.

* * *

Epic bromances were a rarity at McKinley High, especially among the "football elite." Matt Rutherford and Michael Chang had never cared, however, what others thought, not even their football buddies, so they had paraded their bff love around school. Until Matt's family had moved to Pensacola, Florida. Though the two had boys had kept in frequent touch over the years, Ohio State brought them back together again. Finn Hudson, who had invited himself to the boys reunion, watched as the two boys hugged and yelled in the middle of a field. Embarrassed, he glanced around but no one was really paying attention to the public display of affection taking place.

"Dude!"

"Dude!"

"Dude!"

"Uh, hey, guys…" Finn kicked at the grass. "Getting hungry here."

"FINN!" Matt screamed, launching himself at the taller boy and wrapping his arms around him in a bear hug.

Patting the other guy on the back, Finn grinned then stepped away. "So, who's hungry?"

Matt and Mike chorused, "Me!" at the same time, then burst out laughing, thoroughly confusing Finn.

"Okay." Leading the way, he barely registered the conversation going on behind him.

"So apparently, I'm rooming with Artie."

"Abrams?"

"Yeah. I dated his ex."

"Oh, right, Tina. You told me about that."

"Gonna be kind of awkward."

"Probably."

From not far away, under a tree, Santana stared at the boys through her lashes. "Britt, you got it yet?"

Somewhere in the branches of the tree, Britt replied, "No! But that is my favorite Frisbee."

Sighing, Santana grabbed a hold of the lowest branch, pulling herself up, in order to help her often clueless friend find the misplaced Frisbee. She wasn't even sure Britt owned one but had decided to allow the other girl to make the hunt anyway. As she climbed the tree, she couldn't help but recall Rachel's earlier words about rooming with Brittany. The words could be true about this whole college…thing. It would certainly be an interesting experience.


	2. Rooming Situations

_Author's Note: I tagged this as a Puck/Rachel story, which is true, to an extent, but I have to build to that! I just wanted to let readers know there WILL be PR, probably in the next chapter even, but I'm setting the groundwork at the moment. Bear with me and please reaview! :) Thanks!_

_**Chapter Two: Rooming Situations**_

Loud, screaming reverberated in Quinn's head. Grimacing, she placed her hands over her ears, disliking her roommates choice of music, though Quinn was hesitant to classify it as such. Finally, when she couldn't take it anymore, she headed out, hoping to find solace elsewhere on OSU's sprawling campus. After wandering around for at least fifteen minutes, she came to a halt in front of the library, letting out an exaggerated sigh before entering. Once inside, she walked between study tables, looking for a vacant one. Near the back of the second floor, she finally found a table that was almost vacant. Sitting all by herself was Rachel, typing rapidly on her bright pink laptop. Rolling her eyes at the color, Quinn took a seat opposite her.

"Rachel."

Snapping her head, Rachel met Quinn's eyes, slightly surprised. "Quinn. What are you doing here?"

Taking some books out of her back pack, Quinn let out a chuckle. "It's the library, Rachel. I'm studying. Plus, I needed to get away from strange roommate."

"Oh." Biting on her bottom lip, Rachel seemed poised to keep talking but, for whatever reason, didn't.

"What?" Quinn asked at last, knowing she would never get any work done with Rachel staring at her like that.

"Nothing too important." Closing her laptop, Rachel leaned across the table, her long brown hair skimming it's surface. "I was just going to say that you're lucky your roommate is around, giving you the opportunity to know she's strange. I was hoping that, despite Brittany being Brittany, we might bond but in the last two weeks she has barely shown up to the room. Apparently, Santana's roommate still hasn't made an appearance so Brittany is sleeping there. I'm rather agitated about all of this simply because -"

"You talk too much," Quinn cut her off. "What you wanted was the roommate experience and you're disappointed because you're not getting it."

Frowning, Rachel opened her laptop again. "There's no need to be rude, Quinn. I was just trying to make conversation."

Grinding her teeth, Quinn forced herself to smile, reminding herself of her desire to play nice in college. "I know that, Rachel. I was doing the same thing. I…apologize for cutting you off even though you were talking way too much."

Somewhat appeased, Rachel started to close her laptop, pausing half way. "In the spirit of making conversation, may I ask you a question?"

Figuring she probably wasn't going to get any work done, Quinn gave a sharp nod.

"Do you find it awkward to interact with the small group of our former colleagues that has formed? I notice Finn, Puck, Santana, Brittany, Mike and Matt often together, in various locations on campus. I noticed that neither you nor Artie are with them, but on rare occasions. I'm sure Artie isn't with them because of Mike but I was assuming you weren't because of Finn and Puck, as both are your ex-boyfriends."

Overwhelmed by the amount of words thrown at her, Quinn blinked several times. "Um, I…well, yes, it feels a bit awkward but not really because of Finn or Puck. We've dealt with all that…stuff. Baggage, whatever. It's more…it's just something else. It's awkward for you, though, huh? Cause of Finn?"

Averting her eyes, Rachel gazed at the slick table top for several minutes before exhaling. "Yes, because of Finn. We've been broken up for a year now but I don't think he ever forgave me for it. He told me, only one month ago that he still lo-" Closing her mouth, Rachel didn't finish a sentence for the first time in her life but Quinn wasn't stupid. For one, Rachel had practically said the word. And secondly, Finn still walked around like a love-sick puppy that had repeatedly been kicked.

"Yet you want to hang out with them, right?" Flipping her textbook open, Quinn answered the question for herself in her head. She did want to hang out with them but she knew Santana wouldn't want that. And Quinn hadn't exactly been the best of friends to the girl in high school so no one could fault her for that.

"I do," whimpered Rachel, sounding positively miserable.

"Then do it. Finn will get over it." Though Quinn wasn't entirely sure that was true.

"Would you…accompany me?" Widening her eyes, Rachel gazed at Quinn, expectantly.

With a slight shake of her head, Quinn agreed. She might regret it but at least hanging out with everyone meant she would be able to get away from her crazy tattooed roomie.

* * *

The boys had been sitting in silence for at least two hours, each absorbed in his own school work as a pretense. In reality, the two hadn't gotten around to actually talking, beyond a muttered "Hey" or "See ya" in passing.

Finally, not able to take it any longer, Mike slammed his book shut and jumped off the bed. "Dude, this is like not cool."

Looking up from his own hefty textbook, Artie scrunched his nose in confusion. "Huh?"

Starting to pace, Mike said, "This awk-awk- uncomfortableness! We've both dated Tina! There. I said it."

Trying not to laugh at Mike's outburst, at not knowing the word 'awkward' and making up a word, Artie sat up a little straighter, rubbing his hand over his mouth. When he had composed himself enough to know that in talking he wouldn't burst into laughter, he responded calmly, "Yeah, we did. But that was awhile ago. It's just sort of awk - weird. I feel you there. Time we get over it, huh?"

"Dude," exclaimed Mike, ceasing in his pacing and coming to a standstill. "I don't know that word either!"

Not able to hold it in any longer, Artie laughed and pretty soon Mike was joining him.

That had gone a lot better than either boy though it would have. Grinning, Mike jumped on up on his bed, then moonwalked off it, while Artie just shook his head, chuckling, amused by his roommate's behavior.

* * *

It was almost midnight and Finn was still in Puck's room, seriously annoying Puck as he murmured the words in his textbook.

Puck glanced at his sleeping roommate before turning back to face Finn. "You have to go to your room sometime."

Scrunching his nose, Finn shook his head. "Matt's weird. He was talking about like baking. Cakes. Like women do."

Grabbing Finn's book and shutting it, Puck said, "Guys bake too. Tons of guys are on the Food Network. My mom watches that crap all the time."

Looking at the now closed book, Finn frowned. "You want me to leave?"

"Dude, it's like midnight and I got an early morning class…" Trailing off, Puck left Finn with the task of putting two and two together. When Finn just stared at him, Puck moved from his bed to the desk, giving Finn a slight push. The taller boy almost toppled from the desk chair onto the ground. "Yeah, you gotta leave! You can't sleep on the floor again."

Slowly gathering his stuff, Finn said, quietly, "I thought we worked through all that stuff. Thought we were friends again."

Scrunching his face in a look of confusion, Puck crossed his arms over his chest. "We are friends. We did work everything out. I think. 'less you're still pissed I slept with Q while you were dating her. Which you have every right to be…" Letting out a breath, Puck continued, "I'm cool with you, man, but you've gotta get used to rooming with Matt. You're sort of stuck with him for the year so might as well. And he's your friend, right?"

It was a lot for Finn to process and it took him awhile to respond. "Well, uh, yeah, we talked 'bout all that. And I'm not pissed about you and Quinn but it's still…guess it hurts some. Sort of hard for that to go away." At the words, Puck winced but didn't speak as Finn went on. "But you and I have always been tight and, I don't know, I was hoping we could get some of that back, what we lost in high school, here in college." Slinging his back pack over his shoulder, Finn headed toward the door. "Plus, like I said, Matt's weird."

Laughing quietly, Puck flopped on his bed. "Yeah, sort of." Twisting his mouth, Puck debated on saying more, thinking he had filled his sentimental quota for the night. Deciding to screw it, at the last minute, he called out, "I hope we can get it back too, Finn. And, uh, floor is...sometimes available."

Half smiling, Finn nodded, leaving and closing the door softly behind him.

"God," Puck muttered. "I'm such a woman."


	3. Facebook Socializing, part one

_Author's Note: This is a different sort of chapter. I thought, Facebook is a very prevalent part of our society so there should be chapters dedicated to the characters relationship on the social network. However, I have never written in this format before and it was actually very difficult to transfer. It took SEVERAL times and I was VERY frustrated, so I hope that it works. Please let me know if it does, how it can be improved upon, suggestions, etc. Thanks :)_

_Also, must give credit where credit is due. My Matt, San, Puck and Artie have been highly influenced by the perspective of others. You know who are, you awesome people. ;) _

_**Chapter 3: Facebook Socializing, part one**_

_**/**_

**_Noah Puckerman _**uploaded a picture 9/16 **10:06 pm**

**Caption**: Touchdown OSU thanks to me. Who wants the game winnin ball?

**_Rachel Berry _**It was very exciting when you made that run and scored those points, Noah! In fact, I don't think I've ever been more excited at a football game. :)  
**10:12 pm**

**_Finn Hudson _**….

Yeah Puck it was cool.  
**10:15 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**Nice one P. :P  
**10:21 pm**

**_Noah Puckerman _**I get you excited Berry? ;)

Thanks Finn.

You know it S.  
**10:43 pm**

**_Rachel Berry _**I'm fairly certain that you are implying something which is untrue, Noah. I was merely referring to the game. It was exciting!  
**10:46 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**Looks like you got her all riled up P.  
**10:47 pm**

**_Noah Puckerman _**Berry you want me all you gotta do is ask

Yep S. What about you? Makin you excited?  
**10:55 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**You wish.  
**10:57 pm**

**_Brittany S. Pierce _**I want it! Can I have it Puck?  
**10:58 pm**

**_Noah Puckerman _**Maybe I do S.

Sure thing Britt.  
**11:00 pm**

**_Brittany S. Pierce _**I won't lose it.  
**11:01 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**Then where you at P? ;)  
**11:02 pm**

**_Noah Puckerman _**Better not Britt.

In my room. Where are you?  
**11:05 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**You want me excited why aren't you here?  
**11:07 pm**

**_Rachel Berry _**You are delusional, Noah Puckerman! I do not want you in any context of the word. And please take your back and forth to private message or chat. It's rather annoying to constantly receive these notifications.  
**11:08**

**_Santana Lopez _**Sure thing princess. Bow down to you lol wtv.

You coming P?  
**11:10 pm**

* * *

**_Santana Lopez _**wow…someone's whipped.

(status update 9/16 **11:15 pm**)

* * *

**_Quinn Fabray _**Studying for first philosophy exam. Head hurts.

(status update 9/21 **6:30 pm**)

**_Brittany S. Pierce _**Did you hit it?  
**6:34 pm**

**_Matt Rutherford _**I could bring you some pie…freshly baked. :)  
**6:40 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**Not exactly, Britt.

It's okay, Matt. But thanks.  
**6:50 pm**

**_Brittany S. Pierce _**Maybe you need an ice pack.  
**6:52 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**lol maybe, Britt.  
**6:53 pm**

**_Matt Rutherford _**Okay then. Just thought I'd offer.  
**6:59 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**It was a nice offer, Matt. :)  
**7:13 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**Studying for philosophy is a breeze.  
**7:49 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**You don't have a crazy professor.  
**8:00 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**You don't know that.  
**8:01 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**You're right…I don't.  
**8:10 pm**

**_Artie Abarms _**Professor Ryserson, she like cray-cray, Quinn.  
**8:19 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**Cray-cray? lol  
**8:35 pm**

**_Artie Abrams_** I was trying to think of a word with a stronger connotation than just crazy. I went with something that is not actually a word.  
**8:38 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**lol what about insane? Psycho? Did you see her talking to that girl the other day after class? Swear, the professor's head was about to start spinning in circles…  
**8:45 pm**

**_Artie Abrams _**That's freaky imagery there, Quinn. But yeah, did look like that.  
**8:50 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**I avoid eye contact. Afraid I'll turn to stone.  
**8:53 pm**

**_Artie Abrams _**lol that is a possibility. Or she might shoot fire out of her eyes!  
**8:55 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**I'm going to leave her a review at that rate your professor website. "Beware. Direct eye contact could lead to becoming a statue or bursting into flames."  
**8:56 pm**

**_Artie Abrams _**Don't do that! She'd find you and who knows what she'd do to you?  
**8:57 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**I'm going to have nightmares now. Thanks. :P  
**9:01 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**Aww…how cute you two flirtin…so cute it's making me ill.  
**9:02 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**We are not flirting, San. That's cray-cray.  
**9:06 pm**

**_Artie Abrams _**Yeah, us? Flirting? Total cray-cray. Anyway, Quinn, we could study together. Tomorrow, the library, 7ish?  
**9:38 pm**

**_Quinn Fabray _**Sure. Sounds good, Artie. See you then.  
**10:45 pm**

**_Artie Abrams _**:)  
**10:51 pm**

* * *

**_Artie Abrams _**Waxing philosophical with **_Quinn Fabray_** in the library.

(status update 9/22 **7:46 pm**)- - 1 person likes this

* * *

**_Brittany S. Pierce _**I made extra sugar cookies! Who wants some?

(status update 9/25** 5:45 pm**)

**_Matt Rutherford _**Me! I do!  
**5:47 pm**

**_Rachel Berry _**What are extra sugar cookies?  
**6:02 pm**

**_Santana Lopez _**Britt, did you substitute extra sugar for flour again?  
**6:05 pm**

**_Finn Hudson _**I love sugar cookies! I want some to!  
**6:14 pm**

* * *

**_Brittany S. Pierce _**Baking extra sugar cookies in the Student Union's microwave. Why is it called a Union? There's not a bank here. My mom's bank has the word union in it. I wish there was a bank here because I'd steal all the money so I could buy more ingredients to make more extra sugar cookies.

(status update 9/25** 6:13 pm**)- - 2 people like this

* * *

**_Finn Hudson _**Extra sugar cookies arent what I thought theyd be…

(status update 9/26** 7:30 pm**)


	4. Reluctant Party Goers

****

**__**

Chapter Four: Reluctant Party Goers

It hadn't taken much convincing on Brittany and Santana's part to get Rachel to come to the party. Friday night, Santana had informed her, was not the time to be writing a paper. Brittany, while throwing Rachel's wardrobe all over the room, deeming each item unacceptable, had told Rachel she needed to have some fun.

"Fun means drinking something that makes you feel stumbly and makes you see fuzzy," the tall girl had told her, finally settling on a black skirt and plain white top for Rachel. "You dress like an old person but these are okay."

Without protesting, Rachel had changed, then allowed Santana to give her a brief lesson on make up.

"Like this, Rachel…no, you're doing it wrong…ugh, let me do it!"

After thirty or so minutes, Rachel was ready to go, Brittany and Santana surveying their handiwork. Though it wasn't much of a transformation, it was something.

They entered the party, the taller girls in front, leading the way. A wary Rachel followed on their heels. "It was very nice of you to do this. I'm afraid I've been studying too much and neglecting the social aspect of col-"

"You use way too many words, Rachel." Stopping, Santana turned to face her. "You need to loosen up." Glancing somewhere in the room beyond, her tone grew slightly bitter. "Maybe P can help you with that."

Aghast, Rachel stood, feeling helpless, as the two girls abandoned her. Putting a hand behind her, she backed up until she felt the wall, leaning against it once she did. Biting her lip, she looked around for a familiar face. None appeared.

* * *

Quinn had fully intended on spending Friday night locked away in her dorm room, while her roommate was gone for the weekend, with a good book and some chocolate. Those plans had been changed when Artie had textedher, asking her if she was attending some party at some guy's house at some off campus location. After softly laughing at his phrasing, she had written out "no." Her finger hovered over send but, before she could consciously think about it, she was erasing the "no" and using the keyboard on her phone to write, "Sounds fun, see you there."

That's how she found herself, at 9 pm, walking up the front walk, past party goers already spilling onto the lawn. Once inside the house, she navigated around drunken idiots, many hitting on her, guys and girls alike, as she looked for Artie. But it wasn't he who she found first.

"Oof!" she cried as a body rammed into hers. Preparing to snap at the offender, she swiveled her head and started complaining only to stop short when she found herself locking eyes with Santana. "Oh, San."

"Someone pushed me," was San's short reply, spinning away even as the words exited her mouth.

"Wait!" Quinn called, words filling her brain but none coming out as Santana halted, one eyebrow quirked. "I…what I mean is…look, San, I wasn't a good friend in high school. I get that. I'm sorry, you know? I wish I could take it back but I can't and now all I can do is…I don't know, San. Just, I'm sorry."

If the words had any affect on her, Santana didn't reveal it. Pursing her lips slightly, she stood, statue still, before saying, "Yeah, I'm sorry too Q."

Sighing, Quinn attempted to reinforce her apology but Santana didn't give her the chance, leaving without a glance behind.

Smoothing her dress, Quinn held her head erect, eyes sweeping the crowd, though she wasn't really paying attention to faces. Thus, she was quite startled when Matt leapt in front of her, waving a beer around.

"Quinnie!" he yelled. "Quinnie's here, guys!"

"That she is," chuckled Artie, at Quinn's elbow. Mike was beside him, silent, acknowledging Quinn's presence with a brief nod.

"Want a beer?" Matt asked, practically jumping with excitement and, most likely, partially from the buzz. "Mike has two. He grabbed one for you."

One corner of her mouth raised in a half smile at Matt's goofiness. Extending a hand towards Mike, she said, "Sure."

The rest of the night fairly flew by, Quinn spending the entire time with the three boys, taking turns dancing with them and laughing a lot. She was glad that she had come. Really glad.

* * *

It felt like high school all over again and it was very difficult for Rachel not to bolt out the door, running away from the dreadful experience. Only pride kept her from doing so. Santana and Brittany were flirting with a couple of guys within the first half hour, at one point even beckoning her over. She had pretended not to notice, fading into the shadows. But Rachel Berry did not fade! She was not a shadow but a star! Determination overflowed her, after quietly singing some songs from the Broadway musical Wicked under her breath, and she stepped out, ready to join the fray. She immediately spotted Quinn standing with Matt and Mike, her hands resting on the handles of Artie's wheelchair. They appeared happy and Rachel had had that one conversation with Quinn, meaning there were some type of amiable feelings between the two of them, feelings which had not been present in high school. She started to head in their direction when a strong hand clamped down on her forearm. Reaching toward her purse, she felt for her pepper spray, but stopped when her eyes met Puck's.

Wrenching away, she exclaimed, "Noah! Don't startle me like that!"

"Calm down, Berry. I was just bringing you a beer." To show her, he lifted his arm, revealing two beers in hand. "You looked so tense, thought a beer might do the trick."

"No, thank you," she responded, turning her nose up at the offered beverage. It wasn't that she was opposed to drinking, per se, but she had penchant for the finer things in life, such as the best red wine and what Puck was holding was cheap beer.

Rolling his eyes, Puck retracted his arm. "Course not."

Straightening, she peered at him out of the corner of her eye. "Of course not?"

"Shoulda known you wouldn't take it," he replied, taking a drink from one of the bottles.

It felt as if he was issuing a challenge which Rachel never backed down from. Yanking the second bottle from his hand, she took a swig. Yes, a swig. It didn't taste at all like she thought it would and she almost coughed it back up. However, somehow she managed to drink all of it, sputtering only a little.

She didn't see the smile Puck hid at her behavior or the amusement dancing in his brown eyes. "Whoa, Berry. Put it away much."

"I'm behaving like a normal college student, thank you very much." Nodding her head sharply, she sipped this time, avoiding making eye contact with him. "And enjoying myself doing it!"

"Trying to convince yourself of that?"

Jutting out her chin, Rachel didn't answer him, bringing her lips to the mouth of the bottle again.

Smirking, he remained beside her, waiting until she had finished her beer. "Want another?"

"I suppose the appropriate college response would be, yes. Yes, I would."

Chuckling, Puck went to do her bidding, returning shortly with two more beers.

"May I ask you something, Noah?"

Reclining against the wall, Puck took a drink before answering her. "Can. Not sure I'll answer but yeah. Go ahead."

Biting her top lip for several seconds, Rachel considered what the best way to ask the question would be. After several moments of deliberation, it came out in a jumble of words. "Your leading the Ohio State football team to victory the other night was quite inspirational, Noah. And it did excite me. Not you, the triumph…the winning. As I stated under the picture you posted on face book. Other people posted as well. Including Santana and I requested you take your conversation elsewhere but I wasn't sure if you…did." She reached her conclusion, letting out a breath, not sure why it mattered but, for whatever reason, it did.

Puck was quiet for several moments before answering with a short, "Yeah. We moved it."

She wanted to ask where it had moved to but she had a feeling, a strong one, that it had moved to her room. "Get me another beer please," she told him almost robotically, trying not to think about what Puck and Santana had "talked" about several evenings beforehand. Not that she cared.

The rest of the night passed by quickly, Rachel drinking much more than she should've but not enough that she was really drunk. "Buzzed" was the correct term, Matt had informed her when she danced with him. And when she had danced with Mike, he had cautioned her against drinking too much lest she get a headache the next day.

At two a.m. Puck, showing some gentlemanly behavior, walked her to her door, where he attempted to kiss her, which she hadn't expected though she probably should have. After thwarting him, she went into her room and fell on the bed, thinking, with joy, that her first college party had been a success.


	5. Classroom Vignettes

_Author's Note: This chapter is somewhat shorter than my others but it was fun to write. Vignettes! Please read and review. :)_

**_Chapter Five: Classroom Vignettes_**

Santana had determined that the history of Western Civilization was boring during the first class session. Apparently, Finn agreed with her because he kept starting to fall asleep in class. It had become her goal to keep him awake. Every time his head started to fall, his chin finding a spot against his upper chest, Santana poked him in the neck with her pen, causing him to sit up straight, blinking and swatting at his neck. Beside her, Mike would start to laugh, quietly. It came to the point where they started taking bets on how many times Finn would nod off during class. Usually, Santana won. And Finn walked out of class with black pen marks up and down his neck.

Puck had Beginning Algebra at seven in the morning, which he thought was sort of unfair. But by the time he had singed up for classes, there had been no Beginning Algebra classes at any other times. So he trudged to class most mornings, plopped down in his chair and attempted to learn. Only Algebra wasn't any easier than it had been the first time around, when he had taken it in high school. He promised himself, a secret promise that he shared with no one, that he would pass all of his classes, because it was important to do well. Plus, he wanted to make his mom proud. But the stupid math class might be his downfall… Maybe he needed a tutor.

For whatever reason, Puck found his Reading & Composition class much easier to get through. Perhaps that was because he shared the class with both Matt and Brittany, who liked to goof around more than actually pay attention. It sort of made Puck seem like the star student. At least, compared to them. Also, the professor liked him. Maybe too much. "Hey, hey, hey," Matt would say, poking him. "Professor's got the hots for you." And then he and Brittany would start giggling, earning the evil eye of the professor. Though Puck may or may not have been opposed to engaging in a relationship with an older woman who happened to be the one grading his papers, this professor just didn't do it for him.

The best part of Artie's Tuesdays were his three hour evening Philosophy class. Not that philosophy was his favorite subject but it was a chance to get to know Quinn better. She seemed sort of an enigma to him yet, at the same time, he felt he sort of understood her and believed that maybe she understood him too. When the question of hardships in life came up, the professor targeted Artie, asking about the accident that had placed him in the wheelchair. Not comfortable talking about the sensitive issue, Artie had stumbled over his words until Quinn had talked over him, asking the professor to relate the ordeals of her summer trip to Africa. At once, Ryerson had gone off about how her trip, forgetting all about Artie. Grateful, Artie had mouthed thanks. In response, she had written, in his notebook, "Didn't want you to turn to stone" and then had winked, making Artie grin.

Rachel had signed up for too many classes but she was determined to keep and pass them all, even though twenty units seemed an awful lot for her first semester of college. But she was Rachel Berry! She could do anything. Or maybe she couldn't. Midterms were fast approaching and there seemed to be do too much to do. Particularly for her Anthropology 101 class. The teacher had assigned two seven page research papers, as well as a midterm and a final, both with in class essays and identification terms. On top of that, the professor was, simply put, deplorable. He admitted to being a difficult grader and then listed his high expectations, making sure the students knew he wouldn't be available for out of class assistance. Rachel thought he would be better suited to teach upper division courses, if at all, but she didn't drop it. By the middle of October, she was one of ten students still taking the class.

It would've been nice if the class she had after Anthropology was a pleasant one. Unfortunately, it was Statistics. At least she shared it with two former classmates from McKinley. Artie was equally as miserable as she but Mike actually seemed to enjoy the barrage of numbers and probabilities. "Math is simple," he told them. "It's like…unchangeable." Though his logic did make sense, Rachel still hated the class. It made her actually miss algebra, which she would never have believed possible in high school.

Quinn sat by Puck in Biology 101 which Santana seemed to resent. It wasn't Quinn's fault that Puck had chosen the seat next to her. That was how Santana acted, though, regarding Quinn coolly from across the room. "She hates me," Quinn had muttered to Puck, the words on her mind just coming out. "Nah," Puck had responded. She had expected something a little bit more helpful but that had been the end of his thoughts. The class before the midterm, Quinn had decided to change her position in the class. The seat next to Santana was not occupied so she sat there. Though Santana noticed her, she didn't say anything or even acknowledge her presence. It was, however, a progression from barbed insults. And that was something, at least.


	6. Midterms I

_Author's Note: A reviewer pointed out that the last chapter was a filler chapter...and that is something I was thinking this morning. It was just sort of an idea I had but it doesn't propel my plot at all. In lieu of that, I wanted to write a chapter that was more development oriented, thus this chapter was borne. It's the one of three chapters that will focus on midterms. ...midterms, ugh. Please read and review! :)_

_**Chapter Six: Midterms I**_

It was one of two times during the semester when everyone started to feel a little bit crazy. That's right. Midterms. The precursor to the other dreaded time. Finals. Quinn had laughed when her roommate, the weird one with all the tattoos, had voiced fear over midterms and finals. But as she sat in the library, Quinn understood. Her brain literally hurt after one week of writing papers and cramming, cramming, cramming. She felt super dehydrated, even though she was continually drinking SmartWater. Unlike Rachel, who had been living off coffee and nothing else for the last few days, Quinn had not consumed a drop of caffeine. She had a feeling that would just make things worse.

To her right sat Artie, absorbed in the text for some Sociology class he was taking. Unlike her, he felt that midterms weremanageable. But that might've been because he only had official midterms in two classes, a short paper in the third and nothing, really, for the fourth. Also, he didn't see the need to stress so much over a test or a paper. In his opinion, all one needed to do was his or her best. With that in mind, he had studied as much as possible. Especially for Philosophy. Him and Quinn had logged in countless hours for that class. They had pretty much memorized their notes and portions of the text yet Quinn insisted on studying more, no matter what Artie said to her on the subject.

Across the table from them, Matt was playing games on his phone and texting someone, while Mike drooled on a copy of _Pride and Prejudice _that he was supposed to be reading for his English class. Neither seemed in the least concerned with studying and had hardly cracked their books or notes open.

They made Quinn feel sick and made Artie just shake his head.

It was their fifth hour there when Mike sort of snored/snorted, jarring Quinn, who had been staring at the same sentence in her philosophy text for the last ten minutes or so. "W-what?" Blinking, she surveyed her surroundings, blearily.

Glancing at her, Artie quit typing in the middle of a paragraph, in the middle of his thought, and asked, "Huh?"

Taking a deep breath, Quinn's eyes landed on the boys opposite her and Artie. "I don't understand why some people aren't taking this more seriously. I mean, it's not like I'm Rachel or anything but still. Midterms are sort of vital or whatever and some people are just…" Instead of finishing her thought with words, Quinn let out a low growl.

"Don't need to say 'some people.' I'm sitting right here," Matt quipped, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Ooo! I'm so rocking at Tetris."

Matt's comment and his lack of caring almost pushed Quinn over the edge. She was about to snap at him when a hand touched hers. Calming down almost immediately, Quinn looked over at Artie.

"Maybe you should take a break," he suggested cautiously, prying her hand off her arm. "You're digging your nails in there a bit…"

Casting her eyes downward, Quinn noticed the small marks where her nails had been pressing into the flesh on her arm. "Yeah, maybe I should." Biting her lip, she noticed that his hand was still on hers. Not that she minded at all. "Want to go outside with me for a minute?"

Nodding, Artie closed his laptop, requested that Matt keep an eye on it, then headed outside, right behind Quinn. Once out in the chilly air, Artie immediately shivered. "You warm enough?"

Shivering a little herself, Quinn shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's getting colder."

"Well," Artie responded, inching closer to her. "It is fall. You should start dressing warmer."

Leaning against the railing, Quinn agreed. "The weather this morning deceived me though. The sun was out. I thought it'd be...warmer."

"Stupid weather." Making a decision in a split second, Artie patted his lap. "It's warm here…"

That Artie would be so bold sort of took Quinn off guard. She wondered briefly if this was some sort move on his part just to get her sitting in his lap but it was Artie and she trusted him. Plus, sitting there wasn't at all unappealing to her. So, with little reservations, she sat, cheeks flushing a little, _not_ blushing, when his arms came up to wrap around her.

"Better?" he asked, his mouth next to her ear.

Holding back a shiver, which had nothing to do with the cold, Quinn whispered, "Yes. It's better."

They sat like that, in a comfortable silence, before Artie spoke again. "Hey, Quinn?"

"Hey, Artie?" she responded, already feeling the burden of midterms lifting off her.

"You're going to do great, you know."

Smiling a little, Quinn rested her head on his shoulder, liking how safe she felt in that position. "Thanks. You too."

Their moment of solace was abruptly ended when Mike burst out the side library doors. "Guys," he said, grabbing the railing and landing deftly on the sidewalk. "Taking a break."

Rather annoyed at Mike, since at his appearance Quinn has started to pull away, standing in matter of seconds, Artie said, sharply, "Taking a break from sleeping?"

"Yup." Grinning, Mike headed off, leaving the two behind.

Watching him go, Quinn chuckled. "I should probably get back…" Gesturing toward the doors, she trailed off before going back inside.

Disgruntled, Artie wasn't far behind, muttering under his breath about pesky roommates ruining moments…


	7. Midterms II

_Author's Note: I guess this is on the short side but I wanted to get this out, especially since I don't know when I'll next be able to update. Ugh, life! And I'm excited to write it because the next chapter will be Puck/Rachel focused... Please read and review!_

_**Chapter Seven: Midterms II**_

It was surprising to Santana that Brittany actually seemed concerned over her midterms. She was gazing down at her textbook, her face all scrunched up, in what Santana thought was a careful perusal of the words. After several minutes of being consumed by whatever the author of the text had written, Brittany looked up at Santana.

"San, look at this little bug in my book. I think it's kind of cute."

Rolling her eyes, Santana noticed the small black bug crawling across the page. Without hesitating, she flicked the thing across the library, watching it land in some girl's hair. "Brittany, I thought you were studying."

Perplexed, Brittany frowned, closing the book. "Why would I do that? And why did you flick the bug? "

Sighing, Santana gazed at her own books, as of yet not even cracked. "It was just a stupid bug." Ignoring how crestfallen Brittany appeared at her callous reply regarding the bug, Santana answered the second question. "And there is absolutely no reason for either of us to be studying. We're going to marry elderly rich men one day who will take care of us."

"Would that make us gold miners?" Without waiting for an answer, Brittany kept talking. "I think gold is very shiny."

Placing her hands around the cup that held her vanilla latte, the warmth from it warming her, Santana curled her upper lip. "No, that would make us gold digg- pragmatic. That would make us pragmatic."

Tracing the words on the front of her book, Brittany furrowed her brow for several seconds, obviously thinking. "I don't think I want to be a robot…"

Sometimes, it was all Santana could do to keep her patience with the other girl. Grinding her teeth, she opened her mouth, a reply on her lips, when Finn deposited himself in the chair across the table from them. "Brittany, Santana. Studying?"

"Hardly," Santana promptly responded, wondering why Finn had chosen to sit with them. Mike, Matt and Quinn were all nearby, or at least somewhere in the library. Whatever.

"Why not?" Finn opened his…what appeared to be a math book, flipping through the pages until he was in the middle. "I'm like super…uh…you know, worried about these tests. The word is...um, stressed?"

Brittany appeared mildly troubled at Finn's statement. Tilting her head to the left and squinting, she said, "You should be gold miners like me and Santana."

Eyes widening, Finn regarded them in silence for several minutes. Santana could almost see the wheels of his brain turning, as he tried to figure out if what Brittany was telling him was legit or not. "Uh…you know where we can get gold? I bet I could use that to help pay my tuition."

Narrowing her eyes, Santana wondered how she had gotten stuck at a table with two of the stupidest people ever. "Yes. We found a gold mine." When his eyes lit up, she rolled her own. "No, Finn, we didn't. It's an expression." So, not entirely true but he didn't need to know that.

Slumping, Finn started to make notes on a sheet of paper. "Oh." Lifting his eyes a little, he made eye contact with her for a second before returning his focus to his paper. "I guess you don't need to study 'cause you're so smart, Santana."

Smiling a little, in spite of herself, she murmured an agreement.

At her quiet response, Finn paused in his note taking, as if waiting for her to say more. When she didn't, he continued, forgetting everything but math or whatever after a few minutes.

Pursing her lips, Santana let her gaze wander around the library until she spied Puck, walking towards the wide double doors that allowed people to enter and exit the building. Smirking, she started to rise, prepared to catch up with him and suggest they do the kind of studying that didn't involve books or papers or pens. Before she could leave, however, Brittany grabbed her forearm, snickering and pointing to her phone. Matt had, apparently, sent her a picture of a kitten. "Britt," Santana snapped, jerking her arm away. "I don't care about a dumb cat."

Ignoring Brittany's cries about kitties not being dumb, Santana spun on her heel, eyes scanning for Puck. But he was already gone.


	8. Midterms III

_Author's Note: Okay, I lied. Another chapter already done! And the next one, written too! Read and review...tell me what you like, don't like, how to improve, what you might like better about this story...input is essential in making the story better. :) Thank you! _

_**Chapter 8: Midterms III**_

Muttering under his breath, mostly about how idiotic it was (thought those weren't exactly his words) that one test counted for thirty five percent of his grade, Puck made his way across campus. All week, he had watched as most of his friends, excluding Brittany and Santana, had immersed themselves in studying. Although he thought it was incredibly pointless, because in the end what the hell did he care about any of these subjects and how the hell would they help in the real world, he had joined the fray, remembering how his mom had sounded when he casually mentioned he got a C on his first algebra quiz. That thing was only five points. If he could do as well on the midterm, he would make her even more proud. After about five minutes of walking, he came to the University's coffee shop. It was usually frequented by a number of college students, guzzling the hot, brown liquid, even though the coffee sucked. But at least it was caffeine.

Pushing the door, he entered and looked around. His eyes almost immediately found Rachel Berry, looking about as frenzied as a squirrel, with huge, dark circles under eyes and skin paler than he had ever seen it. Walking over, he dropped in the other chair at her table. "Berry."

Lifting her eyes from her studies, she waved at him, then refocused on the book. That she said nothing sort of freaked him out. Rachel talked more than anyone he knew, always having something to say.

"You okay?"

Growling, she looked up again. "I am fine, Noah. Now leave! I have studying." Ending her thoughts, she looked back down at her book.

"You're taking like what? Twenty five units or something. Way too much." He was only taking twelve but even the full time load was sometimes overwhelming. And she was taking almost twice that. Or over twice that. Puck wasn't sure.

"Twenty," she corrected, tapping her pen against the table and pretty much glaring at him. "Now _leave_."

"Look, Berry, I normally wouldn't care but you look like you're about to pass out and I just kind of think that would suck. If I were you, I'd drop a class." Maybe he cared a little but like he was about to tell her that. And it didn't seem like anyone was else going to tell her what she needed to do. Probably too scared to.

Reaching for her coffee cup, Rachel took a sip then made a face (because the coffee sucked). After several seconds of processing Puck's words, she shook her head. "No. That would mean I would have an incomplete. And I'd have to make up the class at a later date." Putting a hand to her head, she wished that the headache that had been pounding there for days would just go away. Pulling her hand back, she looked at it, noticing it was shaking.

"Then make up the class at a later date." Shrugging, Puck stood, leaving her alone at the table.

Scrunching her brow, Rachel thought about his words, then smiled. He was absolutely right and she wondered why she hadn't considered it before. Make up the class at a later date; perfect. And she knew just the class she would drop. Her smile grew as she thought about never having to deal with that horrid anthropology professor ever again. Not taking the class any longer meant she could actually afford a study break and, perhaps, eat something. Frowning, she tried to recall when she had last eaten but couldn't. That was very bad. She had just decided to stand and order some food at the counter when Puck sat back down, coffee in one hand, muffin in the other. He placed the muffin, which looked like a bran one, in front of her.

"Don't worry, it's vegan," he told her, nodding at the display, where she could see an assortment of baked goods marked "vegan."

Picking the muffin up, she took a small bite. "Thank you, Noah. That was…thoughtful of you." She didn't mention that he knew she was a vegan. That had surprised her.

"Look like you haven't eaten for days, Berry. Just don't want you to end up in the hospital. Might feel guilty if I did nothing."

Smiling gratefully, Rachel let the moment lapse into silence, concentrating mostly on the vegan bran muffin but, in the back of her mind, she considered Puck's actions, smiling even wider.

* * *

A few days later, Rachel practically skipped across campus, humming. She was done with her midterms and had dropped that awful, awful class. She almost felt like a new person. Seeing Puck walking towards her, she raised a hand and was about to start in a speech about his kindness but she stopped herself before any words could exit. Nodding, he acknowledged her presence and kept walking. Standing there, Rachel contemplated, sighed then continued on her way, wondering if she could classify Puck as friend or simply acquaintance.

Once past her, Puck let out the breath he had been holding in. He had expected some big to do about the advice and the muffin. She may have been his friend but he didn't want to put up with that. At least, he didn't think he did.


	9. Facebook Socializing, part two

_Author's Note: I really enjoyed the last Facebook chapter, as did you who are reading and reviewing, so here is another chapter with some FB socializing going on. As always, I request you read and review. Thanks a bunch to the two people who actually take time to review every chapter. :)_

_Also, I don't own "All By Myself." I don't know who does but it's definitely not me._

_**Chapter 8: Facebook Socializing, part two**_

_**Matt Rutherford **_To celebrate midterms being OVER, I'm going to bake pies for everyone! Requests?

(status update 10/22 **4:15 pm**) - - 7 people like this

_**Mike Chang **_Apple strudel pie!  
**4:20 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Anything for you, Mikey!  
**4:22 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_Peach?  
**4:35 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Chocolate cream…yum!  
**4:36 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Check! And check!  
**4:40 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_That is a very kind gesture on your part, Matt. Since you are taking requests, I would love a vegan Boston Cream Pie.  
**5:00 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Sure thing, Rachel. :)  
**5:02 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Cherry.  
**5:06 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Read my mind P.  
**5:15 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_2 cherries! Got it!  
**5:18 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_Cool. Chicken?  
**5:25 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Uh…sure. Chicken pie. Can do.  
**5:27 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_Pizza! I like pepperoni!  
**5:34 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Pizza pie, Britt? Yup, okay.  
**5:37 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_:D  
**5:38 pm**

* * *

_**Artie Abrams **_Eating pie and playing Resident Evil on the Wii with _**Quinn Fabray**_, _**Matt Rutherford **_and _**Mike Chang.**_

(status update 10/25 **6:36 pm**) - - 3 people like this.

_**Mike Chang **_I rock at this game!  
**6:41 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_You do, Mike. But I'm better.  
**6:43 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Psssh. Neither of you are that great.  
**6:47 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_Artie's right. I'm way better than either of you. And all of you, actually.  
**6:50 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_True.  
**6:55 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Not true! You're so-so, Quinn. And Artie, you only agree with her cause you want to get into her pants.  
**6:59 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Shut up, Matt! I agree because it's true. I'm keeping track of how many zombies everyone has killed and she has killed the most!  
**7:05 pm**

_**Mike Chang **_Not anymore. Ha! I totally just beat Quinn.  
**7:11 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_Good job, Mike.  
**7:12 pm**

* * *

_**Rachel Berry **_I love the fall! And today is just a perfectly wonderful fall day. I do not intend to spend it cooped up indoors. I am going for a walk. Feel free to join me. :)

(Status update 10/26 **11 am**)

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_I want to!  
**11:30 am**

_**Rachel Berry **_Yay, Brittany! I'll meet you at the coffee shop.  
**11:35 am**

_**Santana Lopez **_You're way too cheerful.  
**11:45 am**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Lotta words Berry.  
**11:47 am**

_**Rachel Berry **_One can never be too cheerful, Santana! It is important to remain optimistic about all aspects of life!

Do you have a problem with my long status, Noah?  
**11:55 am**

_**Noah Puckerman **_No.  
**11:57 am**

_**Rachel Berry **_Then why did you make that unnecessary comment?  
**11:59 am**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Don't know Berry.  
**12:03 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Sometimes life sucks Rachel. Fact of life.  
**12:15 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Well…yes, that is true, unfortunately. But I choose to attempt to look for the silver lining when, as you stated, life sucks.  
**12:26 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Kind of an okay philosophy I guess.  
**12:30 pm**

* * *

_****__**Finn Hudson **_posted a song (_All By Myself _by Eric Carmen) 10/27 **5:34 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Goin emo on us Finn?  
**5:40 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_What's up Finn?  
**5:44 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_This song makes me feel sad.  
**5:49 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_Nothing Santana. Maybe I like this song.  
**5:55 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Paintball!  
**6:02 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_Sure Matt.  
**6:05 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Awesome! This Friday!  
**6:08 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_Okay.  
**6:11 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_This song still makes me feel sad. This is how I felt when my goldfish Bennie died and Santana was busy making out with Puck.  
**6:25 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_That is sad Britt.  
**6:28 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_That fish had been dead for 2 weeks before you noticed Britt.  
**6:35 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_:(  
**6:37 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Omg.  
**6:42 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_I can get you a goldfish Britt.  
**6:45 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_:) Okay!  
**6:48 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Don't encourage her Finn.  
**6:54 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_Just trying to be nice.  
**6:57 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_And encouraging her!  
**7:00 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_How I'm doing that?  
**7:02 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_You just are and this conversation is over.  
**7:07 pm**

* * *

_**Mike Chang **_Best part of college: napping.

(status update 10/29 **2:33 pm)**

_**Artie Abrams **_That's cause you nap more than anything else.  
**2:30 pm**

_**Mike Chang **_I guess…I want to take one right now.  
**2:34 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_You always want to do it!  
**2:38 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_…that's what she said.  
**2:45 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_lol I sort of set myself up for that one...on accident.  
**2:54 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_You totally did...on accident.  
**2:55 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Nice catch there. ;)  
**2:57 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_lol Mike, paintball Friday?  
**2:59 pm**

_**Mike Chang **_Can't. Frat thing Friday. Nap time!  
**3:04 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Oh. Nice napping.  
**3:09 pm**


	10. Halloween!

_Author's Note: Not particularly happy with this chapter but...it needed to get out. And it's a bit late...oh well. Read and review anyway! :) _

_Also, Carli helped me with Finn and Santana's costumes, so thanks Carli! :)_

**_Chapter Ten: Halloween!_**

The party had barely started when Matt, Mike and Artie arrived, the two Ms veering off almost immediately and making their way to the food table, while Artie just watched. In a few minutes, the big room was suddenly filled with college students, taking the party as an opportunity to let loose after their stressful midterms.

After sitting by himself in the corner for fifteen minutes, Artie was about ready to leave. He stared somberly at Mike and Matt, dressed up as Mario and Luigi (yes, they were the Super Mario Brothers) who were dancing with Santana and Brittany. Heaving a sigh, he glanced around the room, wondering where all the hot girls who wanted to dance with him were. Laughing a little, he put his hands on the rims of his wheels, prepared to leave because, really, he had only come with the hopes that one particular person might show up and, thus far, she had not. He had spun himself around when she came in…on the arm of another guy. And suddenly leaving seemed the best option ever.

Puck had insisted that they show up for the party late because he, as he told her, it was what Tony Stark would have done. Grunting in acquiesce, Quinn had sat with him in his dorm room for twenty minutes, while he played Call of Duty, before standing and telling him she was going with or without him. Grunting, he dropped the controller and relented, letting her take the lead, while he followed behind, hands in the pockets of his faux designer trousers. He had to chuckle to himself because they really made a good Tony and Pepper, her striding ahead of him so purposefully, though he had no idea why she was in such a hurry to get there. Grabbing her arm near the door, he brought her to a stop.

"Quinn, hold up. We've got to enter together."

Making a face, she tucked her hand against the inside of his elbow. "Can we just get this over with?"

Nodding and smiling, he led her into the building, grinning when at least some of the eyes turned to them. "We're so going to win," he muttered, unaware that Quinn's eyes and attention were directed elsewhere.

Taking a very deep breath, so sharp that it was almost painful, Rachel pushed the hair of her black wig over her shoulder and entered the party, glancing around. Almost upon entering, she spotted Artie. Waving, she took the two steps toward him. "Artie! Hello! You look…shiny."

Curling up his top lip, because he didn't really feel like dealing with Rachel, he said, "I'm not shiny! I'm -"

But Rachel was already ignoring him. "Did Puck and Quinn come together?"

Not wanting to spin his chair around, Artie hung his head. "Looks that way."

Holding her own head very erect and blinking several times, Rachel said, her voice not quite wavering, "They make a…good looking couple, I suppose."

Artie was inclined to strongly disagree but he didn't really feel like discussing it. All he really wanted to was leave. And he was finally going to, as Rachel had wandered away, without even a goodbye, when Quinn was before him, a huge smile on her face.

"There you are," she exclaimed, her eyes bright. "I like your costume."

Tugging at the flashy get up, he tried to grin. "Yeah, thanks. I'm a sequin!" He wasn't really a sequin but that's what everyone thus far had thought he was.

"Nooo…" Frowning, Quinn tilted her head and squinted her eyes and he thought she was way too adorable. "You're a vampire…a Twilight vampire. You have fangs and you're sparkly…"

He couldn't help it. His mouth sort of fell open. "Y-yes, exactly."

"It's not that hard to figure out," she replied, laughing a little at his reaction.

Growing irritated, because she was being so cute and hot at the same time, but was there with Puck, he put his hands on his wheels, all prepared to say his goodbye. "You should probably get back to your date -"

"My what?" she exclaimed, almost looking horrified. "Puck is NOT my date! He asked me to come as the Pepper to his Tony because he said I made the best Pepper. I mean, he wasn't even going to ask me first. He said he thinks Brittany could look the part better than I could but I carry myself more like Pepper. I agreed because I was being nice…and also, okay, I sort of feel like we could win. But I'm not, nor have I ever been, interested in Puck in THAT way. In fact, I -"

Thinking she would probably go on forever, he took a hold of her hand and she ceased her rambling in mid sentence. "Think Pepper would ever go on a date with a Twilight vampire?"

She rubbed her lips together and swallowed simultaneously, her eyes on their joined hands. "Probably not. But Quinn would most definitely go on a date with Artie."

Throwing his head back, he laughed, mostly because he was relieved that nothing was going on between her and Puck, but partly because she had just referred to herself in the third person. Tugging gently, he indicated his lap. Glowing and blushing slightly, she sat, her arms going around the back of his neck. The party had gone from boring to crappy to wonderful in a short time and Artie was pretty okay with that.

Not far away, Rachel was standing in front of the punch bowl, and not obsessively thinking about Puck and Quinn coming to the party together, when Finn wandered over. "Rachel." Glancing up at him, she noted his green outfit.

"Are you the Jolly Green Giant?" she asked, realizing that her cup was empty, though she had been standing there for five minutes.

Face contorting, he shook his head. "This is clearly a basketball uniform," he informed her, upset.

Opening her mouth, though she wasn't quite sure how to respond, as there were no numbers or letters on his "basketball uniform" to indicate he was anything of the sort, she started to respond, when Brittany and Santana meandered over, the one giggling while the other rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Finn, Rachel," Santana greeted them, placing a hand on her hip.

Rachel surveyed their costumes, noting how tight and short Santana's was, while puzzling over Brittany's…wolf horse outfit.

"I'm a mare wolf," Brittany spoke up, before Rachel could ask. "They bite people when the moon is out."

As usual, Brittany's logic made sense only to her.

"What are you?" Finn asked Santana, his eyes traveling up and down her figure, appreciating the barely there costume.

"I'm hot, duh," she told him, smirking a bit.

The two started in on a back and forth, while Brittany looked for a carrot (mare wolves eat them?) and Rachel took the opportunity to slip away. She hadn't gotten far when she ran smack dab into Puck. He brought up his arms to steady her and she looked up into his eyes. It was odd seeing him with a bunch of hair and a mustache but the Tony Stark (though Rachel had no idea that's who he was) costume seemed to suit him.

"Hey, Wicked Witch," he intoned, in a way that made shivers run up and down Rachel's spine.

"Hey…business man?"

Laughing under his breath, he pulled her tighter to him and she felt her breath hitch in the back of her throat. "Tony Stark. Iron Man." The references were lost on her and he laughed more. "You need to get out more, Berry."

It was on the tip of her tongue to say, "Maybe you should help me with that," but she bit it back, not sure where the desire to be flirtatious had come from. Instead, she pulled away, glad that the green paint on her cheeks was covering up her blush. "I'm Elphaba and I'm going to win this contest." With that, she stalked off, his eyes following her, a half smile on his face. It disappeared when he felt someone's gaze on him and he turned his head to find that the gaze belonged to Santana. She gave him a knowing look then resumed her conversation with Finn and Brittany.

A couple of hours later, the winners for best costume were announced. Santana had won in the individual category, which Rachel thought was completely unfair, but she begrudgingly accepted second place, attempting to make a speech, only to get rudely shooed of the stage.

In the pairs category, Quinn and Puck came in first place, much to Puck's delight. The prize was only a coupon to a local pizza place but the winning was the most important part. After taking the coupon, he got off the stage, Quinn walking down the steps behind him. She took a seat in Artie's lap, while he quietly congratulated her. Though not sure what was going on there, Puck didn't stop to ask them. Somewhere in the middle of the crowd he found Rachel, holding tightly to the gift certificate for one coffee at the University's coffee shop her winning as second place had earned her.

Standing there for a minute, he remained silent, before finally leaning over and whispering, "I voted for you." Then, with a wink, he left, while she maybe sort of smiled.


	11. Not So Awkward Date

_Author's Note: I'm getting the feel with this story of how hard it is to carry out development with a group ensemble. I am trying but it's not easy! I feel like some things have been rushed and/or ignored. I deal with some of these issues in this chapter and I will attempt to continue to do so in future chapters. As always, your feedback is welcome! :)_

_**Chapter 10: Not So Awkward Date**_

By the time Friday night rolled around, Quinn was feeling nervous. Or, actually, a word that had a stronger connotation then nervous. Whatever that word was, she was it. Taking a few deep breaths, she gazed into her closet, seeing but not really seeing her outfits. It seemed sort of a crisis hour so, breaking down, she sent two texts. One half an hour later, Rachel, Santana and Brittany were in her room, having answered her cry for help. Santana seemed sort of wary about "hanging out," while Rachel was beyond enthused to be a part of the group. Brittany was ignoring everything, playing a game on her phone, making comments, every once in awhile, about how cute it was.

Putting three outfits choices on the bed, Quinn asked their opinion.

"The sluttiest one," Brittany said, without looking up.

"Isn't this date with Wheels?" Santana asked, pretending to be completely bored.

Inspecting each outfit carefully, Rachel tapped her index finger against her chin. "I think these are all wonderful options for a first date and they all appear as if they would be very complementary. There are some factors to consider, however, such as -"

"She didn't ask for a speech, Rachel," Santana interrupted. "It's not that hard." Pointing, Santana indicated an outfit. "Blue top, yellow cardigan, jeans. There, done."

Hesitating a little, Quinn picked up Santana's selection, eyeing the other options, before giving a small nod. "And yeah, the date is with Artie. He asked me out at the Halloween party…"

Tilting her head to the side, Santana thought for a couple of minutes. "Huh. Would've never pictured you two together but…kind of makes sense."

Blushing a little, for inexplicable reasons, Quinn looked into the small mirror that she used to apply make up and do her hair. "I'm not even sure how it happened…we had a class together and we were spending all of this time together and we just sort of…clicked. I...like him and I'm looking forward to getting to know him better." Eyes shining, Quinn picked up her mascara. "He's…a really good guy."

Shifting a little, Santana thought about what more she could say, not really sure why she had come at all. It's not like she was friends with Quinn, not really. But then she realized that Rachel had been quiet for over five minutes which was beyond bizarre. "Rachel. You okay?" she asked in her most disinterested voice.

Raising her head, Rachel met Santana's gaze then shrugged. "I've been feeling out of sorts since the Halloween party."

Chuckling, Santana stood, stretching a bit. "Wonder why."

Rachel frowned, then scrunched her forehead. "I don't know what you mean."

"Come on, Rachel," Santana almost taunted. "You and Puckerman…got a thing going on."

From her place in front of the mirror, Quinn let out a strange choking noise then faced Rachel. "You and…Puck?" Picturing the two of them together, she made the choking noise again, then burst out laughing. She had been choking on her laugh, it seemed.

Offended, for a number of reasons she didn't wish to think about, Rachel stiffened. "There is no me and Noah. We are just friends, I think. And, anyway, he's sleeping with you, isn't he, Santana?"

Arching an eyebrow at Rachel's carefully casual tone, Santana crossed the room to stand behind Quinn. "This eye shadow." Without questioning the advice, Quinn started applying the light colored eye shadow Santana had handed her. "So what if we're sleeping together? Which, actually, we're not anymore. Haven't been for awhile."

Relief flooded Rachel and she let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

"Ha!" cried Santana. "It means something to you that we're not sleeping together which, in turn, means you like him."

Vehemently protesting, Rachel babbled incoherently for a moment before giving an excuse about some paper she needed to write and bolting from the room.

Still laughing, albeit quietly, Quinn's eyes met Santana's. "You're right about Rachel liking him. I had no idea."

"I'm very…observant," Santana replied. "Now, are we done here? Britt and I have a double date we need to get ready for."

"I hit the mole on it's head," Brittany practically shouted. "It's cute!"

Smiling a little at Britt's joy over her game, Quinn glanced up at Santana. "Yeah, thanks…and I mean that. Thanks for coming. You didn't have to."

Taking a hold of Brittany's arm, Santana dragged the other girl toward the door. "You're right. I didn't have to." And she almost grinned but not quite.

Once Quinn was all by herself again, she finished her make up, changed, then looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes until she was supposed to meet him. She sort of felt like throwing up and dancing at the same time. It was a new sensation, to feel like that before a first date, and she wasn't sure what it meant.

The minutes passed by slowly but finally it was time to go. Standing, she inhaled, then headed out her door.

* * *

By the time Friday night rolled around, Artie literally felt like a basket case. He had gone over the 1001 ways he could ruin the date in his head, questioned his sanity for even asking her out and contemplated canceling on her. But he had to go out with her. He had to see if there could be something beyond friendship there. That's what he kept telling himself.

"Dude," Matt told him. "You need to chill. It's just Quinn."

"Yeah," said Mike, cracking up as he blew up a car while playing one of the Grand Theft Autos. "Did you see that, Matt?"

"Yup," grunted Matt, not paying attention. Artie liked to think it was because Matt was more interested in Artie's dilemma but he had a feeling it was more about something else. Matt had been acting as if he was mad at Mike though Mike had no clue. "Use extra strength deodorant."

The thought of sweating so much that his clothes stained or that he smelled was embarrassing, so Artie applied his deodorant extra thick and dabbed some cologne on. He gave himself a once over in the mirror and supposed he was somewhat presentable but could only hope that Quinn felt the same way. "And it's not just Quinn. It's Quinn. She's…I really like her. And she laughs at 'that's what she said' jokes! She_ makes _them!"

Curling his upper lip, Matt made a funny face. "So what? Everyone does those things."

"But…she's…" Struggling for the right words, Artie gave up. Explaining was sort of difficult and he also thought it might be lost on Matt. She was snarky and sweet and funny and pretty…and all Artie wanted to do was get to know her even better. "Never mind."

Half shrugging, Matt turned his attention to his computer, where he was writing a paper and had only paused to talk to Artie.

Grimacing a bit, Artie wheeled himself to the door, then called out, before leaving, "Wish me luck, guys."

They muttered their luck and then he was gone. On his way to meet Quinn.

* * *

They arrived at almost the same time and he felt his heart rate increase upon seeing her. As always, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

"H-hi, Quinn," he managed to get out, his voice breaking a little.

"Hi, Artie." Her reply was smooth but the red tinge of her cheeks at least let him know that, maybe, she was feeling the same way as he was. Without further delay, he opened the door to the Italian restaurant for her and they both went inside.

After that, it was supposed to get awkward, like first dates sometimes were, but it didn't. They found it rather easy to talk to one another, at least about superficial things. They discussed their favorite movies, TV shows, books, bands… The time fairly flew by and pretty soon the restaurant was closing. Whatever nervousness or fear of embarrassment might have been there had long since vanished.

They continued their discourse on the way to her dorm building, choosing to stick with rather superficial topics. However, they both felt that it would've been easy to open up to the other about deeper things but it wasn't the night for that. In time, as they explored their relationship and the undeniable spark between them, those subjects would come up.

Once at her building, they stopped, both disappointed that the date was over.

"So…"

"So…" he echoed her, glancing at the ground. He was thinking about kissing her but wasn't sure if that was appropriate or it's what she would want.

"I guess I'll go inside then," she said, trying to hide the frustration she was feeling. Maybe he wasn't the type of guy to kiss on the first date but she wouldn't have minded if he wanted to.

"Yeah…" Biting the inside of his cheek, he watched as she started to move toward her building then, impulsively, grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. He had thought she might fall into his lap but, instead, she leaned over, her face inches from his.

"Yes?"

Amused by her smirk, he searched her eyes for a second, finding only encouragement there. Smirking himself, to match hers, of course, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers. Immediately, she responded to the kiss, setting her hands on his shoulders, while his tugged at her waist. Yet, she didn't budge. Apparently, sitting in his lap was out of the question. But, as they kissed, he determined that he would eventually get her to sit in his lap while they kissed.

A few minutes had passed when she ended the kiss, holding onto this shoulders as if to steady herself. Artie was pretty sure if he could feel his legs, he would be in the same position as her and need support from being weak in the knees. He was also liking her reaction to kissing him. It made him feel pretty good.

"Next time, I might sit in your lap," she told him, smiling.

"Next time, you will sit in my lap," he responded, his tone playful though he was serious, with the thought that next time better be soon.

Biting her bottom lip, she grinned goofily down at him before giving a small wave and heading inside the dorm building. Whistling, Artie spun his chair around and raced back to his dorm building, on top of the world. No, on top of the universe, which didn't make sense but there was no other way to describe his state of being but in that way.

On top of the universe and among the stars.

So corny but so true.

And sitting on her bed, Quinn was thinking thoughts equally as corny and true, giddy and restless and happy.


	12. Baking Day

_Author's Note: I haven't updated this in FOREVER. Ugh! Sorry about that. I'll try to update more frequently but I can't make any promises. :/ Please read and review and feel free to share ideas about things you might want to see. :)_

**_Chapter 12: Baking Day_**

Somehow, perhaps because he was part Ninja (a fact which was mostly only fact in his head), Matt had managed to secure one of the classrooms used for cooking classes, of which Matt had many, on a Saturday morning. He had put out an invite on Facebook, informing those he was closest to at the University, that he would be giving baking lessons. A few had accepted and now he was just waiting for them to arrive.

A vibration from his phone jarred him a bit and he glanced down at the electronic device in his hand. It was Mike, telling him he would not be able to make it. He had a frat thing. He always seemed to have a frat thing. Sighing, Matt started to text Mike back when Brittany and Rachel came through the door, arm in arm, both smiling.

"Mattie!" cried Brittany when she saw him, running to give him a tight hug, the bag of whatever she was holding banging lightly against his back. Grinning he hugged her back before turning to greet Rachel with a wave. A few minutes later, Finn and Puck meandered in, the latter looking bored. Matt gave them a brief introduction (basically, "We're starting with the easiest of recipes") before instructing them to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

He had only turned his back on the group for a second when Rachel gasped. Spinning around, he saw that Brittany had put some flour in one of the larger mixing bowls he had set out.

"Britt Britt…" Approaching, he surveyed the damage. It wasn't really that bad. They were making chocolate chip cookies, and flour was a dry ingredient so they could just mix the other dry ingredients with the flour. But it appeared as if she had used a large plastic mini mart slushee cup to measure the flour with. "Did you use that?" he asked her, pointing to the cup.

"Um…yes." She nodded a couple times then said, in a voice the conveyed a sense of pride in herself, "I know that recipes use cups so I brought my own. I also brought table spoons…the ones we use on the table…"

Holding back a smile, Matt looked into the bowl. "That's about double what we need so we'll just double the recipe. Okay, now…" He went on to explain the simple chocolate chip cookie recipe, while Brittany and Finn paid the closet of attention.

Rachel, on the other hand, glanced at Puck, then glanced again, before moving to stand next to him. Under her breath, she asked him, "Why are you here, Noah? This doesn't seem like something you would normally attend."

Raising an eyebrow, Puck nodded toward Matt. "Tryin' to listen here, Rach. Keep it down."

Offended, she stomped her foot, quietly, then focused in on Matt again, for several seconds, while he explained, in depth, to both Brittany and Finn how to mix the dry ingredients together. Neither seemed to understand but then a metaphorical light bulb went off over Finn's head and he demonstrated his new found knowledge. Brittany applauded him and Matt sort of rolled his eyes but told him, "Good job."

Indicating the remainder of the ingredients (minus the chocolate chips; those came last), Matt asked Rachel and Puck if they would combine them in small bowl. On task, Rachel starting measuring, remembering to double everything. Puck stood silently at her side, hands in his pockets, watching her. Frowning, Rachel finished, then turned to face him. "You didn't even help me."

"What'd you need help with?" Puck leaned against the counter, obviously skeptical.

"Just…" Flailing for an answer, Rachel paused, placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. "You obviously don't want to be here. So why _are _you here?"

Twisting his mouth a little, Puck contemplated for a minute or two before telling her, "Finn wanted to come and he invited me."

"You came to spend time with Finn?" Before Puck could object, which Rachel thought he was going to, as his mouth was already forming an 'o,' she quickly went on. "I think that's a good thing. Your friendship suffered a lot in high school due to many circumstances. Now is the time to repair it." She gave a sharp nod as if to emphasis her points.

Snorting, Puck sort of rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Rach." But she was right, not that he would ever, under any circumstances, admit it. A flurry of movement from beyond Rachel caught his eye and whatever else had been about to come out was forgotten. His jaw dropped, his mouth agape and it was immediately filled with flour and the other dry ingredients. Giggling, Brittany sprinkled the rest that had been in her hand into Rachel's hair before darting away.

"This lesson turned to chaos," Matt muttered, as Brittany and Finn threw handfuls of flour at each other. "I'm never going to be able to use any of these rooms again."

Appalled at the sight before her, Rachel opened, then shut, then opened (again) her mouth. "How did this even…when did this…I don't understand…"

Shrugging, Matt held up a handful of flour. "They're Britt and Finn. And, well, might as well join 'em." And then he threw the flour directly in her face.

More appalled then ever, Rachel sputtered then stopped short when she heard laughter. Beside her, Puck was laughing pretty hard, an arm over his stomach. "Oh my God…you look…" He gasped for breath, unable to finish his thought.

Holding her head very erect, Rachel closed the space between them, grabbed his shirt, then rubbed her face against it, the flour getting all over him. "Ha!" she exclaimed, quite proud of herself. Lifting her eyes, she prepared to gloat but found it a little hard to breathe when their eyes met. There was tenderness there that caught her off guard. "Oh…I…"

Swallowing, he moved away. "Good job, Rach. All covered in flour now."

Not knowing how to respond, a rarity for her, Rachel nodded, her eyes searching the room for nothing.

Pausing for a minute in the middle of the great flour war, Finn eyed Puck and Rachel, determined they were acting and made a mental note to ask them about it later.

He forgot, of course.


	13. Facebook Socializing, part three

_**Chapter Thirteen: Facebook Socializing, part three**_

_**Mike Chang **_Frat stuff taking over my life.

(status update 11/11 **9:25 am**)

_**Matt Rutherford **_Noticed.  
**9:30 am**

_**Santana Lopez **_Trouble in paradise?  
**9:36 am**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Mike is always doing stuff with his stupid frat brothers.  
**9:45 am**

_**Mike Chang **_Dude, thought you understood…  
**9:55 am**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_Matt, are you sad?  
**10:01 am**

_**Matt Rutherford **_More like angry, Britt.  
**10:09 am**

_**Mike Chang **_Angry? And you're telling me this over facebook?  
**11:10 am**

_**Matt Rutherford **_When have I even seen you in person in the last few weeks to tell you anything? Dude, you're busy with your "frat brothers" and never have time for me anymore.  
**11:14 am**

_**Matt Rutherford **_No response. What I expected.  
**1:59 pm**

_**Mike Chang **_I was busy!  
**5:02 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Typical.  
**5:17 pm**

_**Mike Chang **_…whatever.  
**5:20 pm**

* * *

_**Rachel Berry **_Some people can be so infuriating!

(status update 11/15 **12:31 pm) **- - 2 people like this

_**Finn Hudson **_What's that mean?  
**12:35 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Means annoyin…she means me don't you Rach? ;)  
**12:40 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Yes, I do! And you know exactly why, Noah!  
**12:42 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Don't. Enlighten me and all of facebook.  
**12:45 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_I am quite surprised that you know what the word "enlighten" means and used it properly in a sentence.  
**12:47 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Now you're deflectin.  
**12:52 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Again, your big words impress me, Noah. Though you neglected the "g" in the word.  
**12:55 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Doin it again.  
**12:58 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_I'm confused…  
**1:01 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Never mind, Finn. Puck is just being asinine.  
**1:05 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_That's as close as Rachel Berry gets to swearing, Finn.  
**1:10 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_I am shocked, Noah. You tagged a "g" at the end of the word and put it in its proper place.  
**1:12 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_Rachel was swearing? Puck's a G?  
**1:18 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_Puck and Rachel are in L - O - V - E!  
**1:25 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_That is simply untrue, Brittany! If you and everyone must know, Noah made me cease in my studying and get a cup of coffee with him this afternoon. I lost at least two hours of studying time because of him!  
**1:30 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Don't act like you weren't enjoyinG yourself Rach.  
**1:32 pm**

_**Finn Hudson **_…  
**1:42 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the bottle and the horse and the carriage!  
**1:47 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_That is not how that goes, Brittany. And, I assure you, there is no love between us. Nor will there ever be marriage or babies. That's ludicrous!  
**1:50 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_C'mon Rach. Puckleberry babies might be cute.  
**1:52 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Puckleberry? Okay, Noah…  
**1:55 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_LOVE!  
**1:59 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_No, Brittany.  
**2:01 pm**

_**Noah Puckerman **_Just admit it Rach. You want me and you want to have my babies. ;)  
**2:05 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_That is a disgusting thought, Noah. I do not! And you are the one who came up with the term "Puckleberry." What does that imply?  
**2:09 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_You love her Puck and you want to have her babies!  
**2:17 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_That is not biologically possible, Brittany.  
**2:20 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_What do robots have to do with it? I know Puck doesn't have any biological parts but he still loves you!  
**2:25 pm  
**

_**Rachel Berry **_…he only loves himself, I am sure. And you're thinking "bionic" not biological.  
**2:27 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_No. It's like that old show. The Biological Woman.  
**2:35 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Oh, Britt…  
**2:41 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_Yes? :D  
**2:55 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Nothing…  
**3:02 pm**

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_OKAY!  
**3:12 pm**

* * *

_**Santana Lopez **_Getting sick watching 2 people get all kissy kissy. Need to make it official already.

(status update 11/19 **1:35)**

_**Artie Abrams **_You mean us?  
**1:42 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Yes, I mean you, Wheels. You and Q with all your PDA. Get a room already.  
**1:45 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_What do you mean "make if official"? We're dating…  
**1:50 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Gonna change your relationship status on facebook or what?  
**1:52 om**

_**Quinn Fabray **_We have to change our relationship status on facebook for it to be official official?  
**1:59 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_This day and age, yeah.  
**2:05 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Hey, Quinn.  
**2:10 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_Hey, Artie?  
**2:14 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_I'm going to send you a relationship request.  
**2:15**

_**Quinn Fabray **_Aren't you supposed to ask or something? Like, "Quinn, will you please be my girlfriend?"  
**2:18 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Nah. ;) Sent.  
**2:20 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_You 2 have hijacked my status! This is worse than you two in the coffee shop, Q in your lap being all cutesy.  
**2:21 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Admit you thought it _was_ cutesy. ;)  
**2:25 pm**

_**Santana Lopez **_Fine it was cute, whatever. No get off my status!  
**2:28 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_:) Okay, sorry, San.  
**2:32 pm**

* * *

_**Quinn Fabray **_is in a relationship with _**Artie Abrams**_

(relationship status change 11/19 **2:27 pm**) - - 8 people like this

_**Brittany S. Pierce **_LOVE is bionical!  
**2:30 pm**

_**Rachel Berry **_Congratulations you two. :)  
**2:34 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_What, Britt?

Thanks, Rachel.  
**2:35 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Where's the "this is the most amazing relationship status change ever" button? Like isn't enough. ;)  
**2:42 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_lol I know, right? There should be one like that!  
**2:46 pm**

_**Tina Cohen-Chang **_What?  
**2:49 pm**

_**Matt Rutherford **_Woo hoo!  
**2:50 pm**

_**Mercedes Jones **_Whoa…really?  
**3:00 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Yup! :)  
**6:05 pm**

* * *

_**Artie Abrams **_Officialized and happy. Plus, got her to sit in my lap. ;)

(status update 11/19 **2:29 pm**) - - 1 person likes this

_**Quinn Fabray **_lol Artie.  
**2:33 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_;)  
**2:36 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_Enough facebooking…  
**2:50 pm**

_**Artie Abrams **_Agreed! Phone away!  
**2:51 pm**

_**Quinn Fabray **_;)  
**2:51 pm**


End file.
